A 16-year-old boy finds himself on a boat in the Pacific Ocean after escaping a shipwreck(海难). Even worse, he is left with a huge tiger for company. But he manages to survive after 227 days of fighting against all the hardships of the sea.
Pi, the lead character in Oscar-winning Ang Lee’s new movie Life of Pi, went through an inspiring journey of growth and self-discovery. So did 19-year-old Suraj Sharma, the Indian actor who plays him.
But it was a lucky chance that opened up the opportunity for the new star. Sharma was a regular student who lived with his mathematician parents in Delhi, India. As the director traveled to Mumbai to find his Pi, the teenager went along with his younger brother, who had acted in a couple of movies, to audition(试镜). But little did Sharma know that he would end up winning the role from 3, 000 hopefuls.
Lee said he saw Pi in Sharma: “Not only does he have a compelling and wise look. He has this rare talent.” The director said that in the final round, Sharma gave one of the “most compelling readings we had. In the end, he was in tears.” Understandably, Sharma didn’t want to let Lee down. “He (Lee) had given me this opportunity. I had to give it my best,” Sharma told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Sharma swam for four or five hours a day until he was completely comfortable with the water. He also worked on his body because he had to first gain weight and then quickly lose weight as the story developed. He even had rats run all over him to prepare for his role. Lee was impressed by the teenager, especially his endurance and patience in staying in a water tank for many hours each day. Sharma was only 16 when Lee signed him. After three years of shooting, Sharma said he had matured with Pi’s journey.
41. What is the function of the first paragraph?
A. To introduce the topic of the passage.
B. To appeal to readers to watch a movie.
C. To attract readers to continue reading.
D. To suggest the theme of this passage.
42. We can know from the passage that ________.
A. Sharma wanted to become a mathematician
B. Sharma had acted in a couple of movies
C. Sharma was sure to win in the audition
D. Many teenagers wanted to act the role Pi
43. What does the phrase “to let somebody down” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. To make somebody disappointed.
B. To seat somebody down.
C. To reject somebody’s requirement.
D. To take down somebody’s information.
44. Which of the following words can be used to describe Sharma?
A. Confident and passionate.
B. Talented and diligent.
C. Strong and courageous.
D. Endurable and easily-excited.
45. The passage is intended to introduce ________.
A. the thrilling escape from a shipwreck
B. how an Oscar-winning movie attracts audience
C. a young actor became matured when acting in a movie
D. the difficulty in winning a role in a movie